The Scene is Dieing...blah blah blah wah wah wah

Edited: 4/15/2010 10:00:21 AM by thacru78

For the past 2 weeks i've been a spectator on SSM...I was on a lil time out period...:ban:...lmao...Over that time I still periodically checked SSM and chat...I can't count how many times I seen someone say that the scene was dieing, or this is killing the scene, or this is what's wrong with the scene, blah blah blah...It's frustrating...I think the scene is fucking booming and I love it. I went to a truck show in Somerville, Tx...population 1,686 people...2500+ minitruckers showed up...woulda been 6k+ prolly if it wouldn't of been for the weather. At that show I partied with people from Canada...people who drove 40+ hours to come to a show in Somerville, Tx. I believe 7 countries in all were represented there...At that show I got to see trucks bodied on Billet 26's...Tahoes that were built in a month bodied on 28's...a Brand New F250 bagged on 28's...Full tube Chassis on a truck that's gonna be bodied on 24's...all at a Truck Show in Lil ole Somerville, Tx. Yet the scene that im apart of is dieing....I can think of 10 Big Badass shows that I want to go to all over the country this year...Shows that each and every year...raise the bar on qaulity and quantity. The first show I went to with Aftermath in 06 there were 3 Aftermath trucks there...we had 25+ at Tex Mex and we had alot of trucks at the house...the overall quality of the bagged and bodied trucks is head over heels better than what it was 5 years ago...but our scene is dieing. Yes the magazines are currently struggling...hello were in a recession...gas is $2.70 a gallon...people in general are struggling. It's sad to say but magazines and newspapers are soon to be a thing of the past...Thanks to websites like Socalcustoms and SSM...I can see coverage of a show 1,200 miles away on sunday morning...I don't even need a computer anymore...thanks to the smart phone. We lose a few shows here and there...but we pick up just as many shows...I could easily attend 25 shows this year if I had the time and the money. How many DVD companies do we have now? How many did we have 4 years ago? Shops have 4-5 month waiting lists. How many companies do we have offering Minitrucker related clothing? How many did we have 4 years ago? Maybe im just oblivious to the reality....but if the scene got any better...I couldn't handle it. Id end up broke, single, and an alcoholic. So maybe yalls scene is dieing. But the scene im apart of is alive and well.   Lastly....People say drama and shit talking is killing the scene...there's drama and shit talking in every major hobby...people are competitive...their gonna shit talk. That's human nature. Danica Patrick can walk up to a fellow racer and give him a push and talk shit...and she's a girl. You don't see her bitchin and moaning wanting to get out of racing because its to hard for here feelings to handle it. If people want to do something for the scene...go to shows and build a truck. The people who say the scene is dieing are the people killing the scene.  My post was not directly pointed at anyone...it is not meant to talk shit or start drama...it is strictly meant to share my opinion on the current state of the truck scene. My apologies if it offended you in anyway...it was not directed at anyone. Please don't report me to Brandt. Thanks. 

The scene aint dyin! Its just gettin really fuggin expensive lol! but hey, sometimes you gotta pay to play. Thats a good point you made though about all the merchandise out there for us now. I recall when the only "scene" related clothing i had was drop em shirts and show shirts lol. now i got a whole closet full of shit as well as a full library of videos. I love where the scene is goin. i cant think of any negative things that go on now that didn't go on 7-8 years ago when i got into this stuff. there will always be people that act like morons at shows and nobodys that talk mad shit on the internet. I for one dont think anyone should be shunned for honestly speaking their mind in an intelligent manner(whether it be online or in person) but if they seem to do it continuously and always act like an asshole in the process then people need to realize that that person is probably just an attention whore and if we would stop giving them the attention they crave then they would most likely shut the hell up. problem is there will always be another one to step up and take his place. idk, i am on here pretty often and i dont recall seeing too many people sayin its dying. maybe i am on the wrong threads. i am interested to see what these people that think it is dying have to say though.  

Right on! Technology has deff made the world smaller.  I think people get confused with this sometime.  As the years go on more and more people are able to make a living in this scene so it must be doing something good.  It gets under my skin when someone shits on some one else for making a living in the scene.  If you are a show promoter and have a killer show and make tons of money...good for you! you deserve it! There is no get rich quick scams in this scene. Everyone involved busts their butt day in a day out. Weather you are a fabricator, promoter or show vendor. I am honored and proud to be a part of this and my family thanks you for the support.  We try to give back as much to the scene as we possibly can because of the support that we get. See you guys around. L8R

i love this scene and it gets better every year in my opinion. there are so many companies selling parts, clothes, dvd's, as well as a bunch of new forums, show coverage sites, and more. seems that several people in the past year that i've seen jumping into the scene and are excited as fuck. some of them have been to shows recently and it seems that it's prob changed their life! haha hell, we got a big ass crew coming down from ohio to make it to showfest. maybe only one of the people going have ever been. and this is the furthest show we've all been to, but def not the last. we all know money is tight, but we make sacrifices to keep minitruckin alive in our lives. of all the people in aftermath-ohio that i know (and probably every other member of aftermath worldwide), i don't think i could see any of them not being apart of the scene or the club ever. we are gonna be apart of this shit forever and do whatever it takes.

Some of what you say is certainly true.  The scene is expanding and contracting all the time.  The economy plays a huge part in that and no doubt is a large cause there now.  But companies/shows/people that have planned well are mostly not effected by the economy or certainly effected less.  That doesn't mean that when the economy comes back that the scene will or will not expand again, it could continue to contract even.  Sure we have gained some shows but we have lost far more..  I think the scene is going through a clensing for the lack of a better term.  Many people have left, some for money, some for a life outside this, some for time, and believe it or not some because of the drama that does surround the scene.  One point that id like to make is that sure a little drama doesn't hurt things and even is needed in some scenarios, there is a fine line bro.  More importantly there is a line where clearly people are not even starting the drama for any other reason other than to just make it a play ground.  I am a member of several other sites/"scenes" and "minitruck" sites seemingly have light years more drama than other forums.  Those include computer forums, diesel forums, art forums, and more.  Other people I know agree with that with their experiences.  Given that I think its safe to say drama effects the scene when you look at it like that.  I guess the bigger question Big is what exactly does all the drama solve, other than make the person creating it feel like a bad ass, or look like they are bragging, or similar?  I challenge that anything said childishly could be said in a more mature way and have a deeper effect and you might see results.    For example I have seen many 16ish year old kids land on SSM to show their "hacked" truck and get run off by the name calling and insults.  Rather then someone taking the time to help the guy, they would rather send him out of the "scene".  I know some people might think thats cool, I think thats ridiculous and embrassing to the scene.  Now some might view that as a guy crying about it and unable to take it so he left and it seems some would even be ok with that.  I guess another way to look at it from the other side of the fence is the real crying is coming from the FEW that want to cause drama as a form of entertainment, rather than doing something constructive with their time. This isn't pointed at anyone either, other than my single questoin to Big.

I think that minitruckers need to have more class in general. It's not all about destruction, as some DVD and stickers on trucks make it out to be. I agree with Brandt on forums from other "scenes." The only one that even comes close to the drama on some of the minitruck forums is the Halo forums on Bungie.net, and the majority of the posters are 12 year olds with anger issues.  The only "scene" in my town is hot rods, muscle cars, and Corvettes. That's it, there is no minitruck scene. There are more than a dozen clubs from these groups, and more than a dozen shows. Each show is calm, classy, and a ton of fun, and nothing gets destroyed!  I'm not saying that we shouldn't be allowed to have a good time, but some of the destructiveness and disrespect for individuals and their property makes me sick. There are even people that are so proud that they destroyed their own truck by being a jack ass.  Why is it so hard to go to a show, set up some chairs, have a cold one and chill? When it's all done, clean up after yourself and head to the house?   Sure our scene is booming, but is it the correct kind of boom?

I think part of the reason that people think the scene is dying is that their circle of friends drift on to something else over time, be it family, other interests, or anything.  In reality, mini trucks are for the most part at the lower end of the customizing spectrum. While there are some holdouts (old dewds), most tend to gravitate towards street machines/rods as they mature and get more disposable income. The s10 is the 34 Ford of 1955. Cheap, easy to build and play with, and easy to throw away when you grow up.

---------------------------------------------Originally posted by BAD_INC The s10 is the 34 Ford of 1955. Cheap, easy to build and play with, and easy to throw away when you grow up.---------------------------------------------  Ya, okay.......

---------------------------------------------Originally posted by Just_Robert---------------------------------------------Originally posted by BAD_INC The s10 is the 34 Ford of 1955. Cheap, easy to build and play with, and easy to throw away when you grow up.------------------------------------------ I "grew up" and went out bought myself an ugly Mazda to play with. This time it's about building it to drive and enjoy not to show. Been there done that got my colection of plastic awards. So now its all about driving and enjoying the MT life with out the stress of having a show truck. I got my Accord to hide in the garage. lol!!! 

---------------------------------------------Originally posted by otterboy47This time it's about building it to drive and enjoy not to show. So now its all about driving and enjoying the MT life with out the stress of having a show truck.--------------------------------------------- i like this!